History

McCloskey’s Bakery is a traditional Irish family bakery making quality breads since 1940, using recipes handed down through three generations.

The company was founded in 1940 when Joe Shiels formally of Shiels Bakery, James Street Drogheda, invited Paddy McCloskey snr. and his brother Frank McCloskey to join him in a partnership in the purchase of Lyons Bakery in Trinity Street Drogheda.

Some years later Paddy McCloskey snr bought out both his brother Frank and Joe Shiels. Paddy McCloskey snr. was at the time an area manager for GNR, (Great Northern Railway), he left the day to day running of the Bakery to his wife Vera.

It was under her guidance that the company opened a successful bread shop and tea rooms in 106 West Street and established the bakery within the town of Drogheda.

Paddy McCloskey jnr joined the company in the late 50’s after spending 3 years studying bakery management in the Glasgow Bakery School, Scotland. During his time as Managing Director he purchased Shiels Bakery, of James Street, Drogheda. By doing so he incorporated Shiels bakery trade over to the bakery in Trinity Street, giving the company the commercials it needed to go forward.

In 1983 Paddy McCloskey jnr. purchased the Moorland Café, an established home bakery and tea rooms located on Drogheda’s main thoroughfare, West Street. The premises were completely gutted and were re-fitted as an airy 120 seat coffee shop.

Patrick McCloskey, joined the company in 1985, after spending 3 years studying bakery management in Blackpool Bakery College, England. He also spent time gaining extra experience working in a craft bakery in Bad Orb Germany.

During the late 80’s and early 90’s the bakery trade in Ireland went through a particularly rough patch, taking many casualties on its way. Patrick recognized in order for the company to survive it needed to operate lean management, as well as diversifying its product range.

As a result the company today makes a wide variety of bread including Bagels, seeded breads, Polish Breads, Lithuanian Breads. They also make a wide range of wrapped & unwrapped traditional pans and batch bread along with crusty Vienna’s and fancy breads which are supplied into Dunnes Stores, Tescos, Supervalu, SuperQuinn and the other prominent shops within a sixty mile radius of Drogheda.

In 2007 Patrick McCloskey moved the bakery and confectionery to a new modern bakery facility in Ballymakenny, Drogheda. The new bakery facility allowed the company not only to meet its health & safety requirements but to go one step further by employing a full time QA Manager which enabled us to achieve the Global Food Safety BRC standard in Nov 2009.

In 2009 McCloskeys Bakery opened a new shop under the McCloskeys brand in Navan town centre, providing a wide selection of confectionery and breads.

McCloskeys participated in CATEX (Food Service Exhibition) for the first time in February 2011 with great success.